Vegetarian and vegan Bologna

Yes, Bologna's nickname is "la grassa" (the fat one) and yes, the city runs on mortadella, ragù and parmigiano. But it also has a vegetarian scene that goes back decades, a stack of fully plant-based kitchens near the centre, and a surprising number of traditional dishes that were veggie long before anyone called them that. You can eat very well here without touching meat.

This guide splits into two halves. First, the traditional Bolognese plates that happen to be vegetarian, so you don't miss the local flavour. Then the dedicated vegetarian and vegan restaurants worth crossing town for.

Traditional dishes that are already veggie

You don't have to leave Emilia-Romagna's classics behind. Several of the region's best-loved plates are naturally vegetarian, and most trattorias make them every day.

• Tortelloni di ricotta e spinaci, the bigger cousin of the belly-button tortellini, stuffed with ricotta and spinach and usually served in butter and sage. A proper Bolognese dish, no meat in sight.
• Tortelli or cappellacci di zucca, pasta parcels filled with sweet squash, a regional specialty you'll see more of around Ferrara and in autumn.
• Friggione, a slow-cooked stew of onions and tomatoes, the classic Bolognese contorno (side).
• Crescentine and tigelle, warm little flatbread discs you fill yourself. Order them with squacquerone cheese, grilled vegetables or chocolate spread instead of cured meats. Ask whether the dough is made with lard or olive oil if that matters to you.
• Parmigiana, grilled veg and cheese plates, most trattorias keep a few meat-free antipasti and contorni going.

For the full picture of what to order across the city, see our guides to the real tagliatelle al ragù (skip this one), the green-pasta lasagne alla bolognese, and why spaghetti bolognese isn't actually Italian.

Best vegetarian & vegan restaurants

The centre and the area west toward Porta San Felice hold most of the meat-free kitchens. These are the ones that come up again and again, from Bologna's oldest veggie spot to the new wave of fully plant-based labs. Hours move around and small places close for holidays, so check before you go.

Want more general picks too? See our run-down of the best places to eat in Bologna and the proper old-school trattorias, several of which can sort out a vegetarian table with a little notice.

How to order meat-free in Bologna

Italians are used to this, so you won't get strange looks. A few phrases and habits make it smoother:

• "Sono vegetariano / vegetariana" (I'm vegetarian) or "sono vegano / vegana" (I'm vegan). Add "senza carne e senza pesce" (no meat, no fish) to be clear, since pesce sometimes gets treated separately.
• Ask "c'è qualcosa di vegetariano?" (is there anything vegetarian?). Most kitchens can improvise a pasta al pomodoro or grilled veg even if it's not on the menu.
• For aperitivo, the cicchetti and crostini spread is veg-heavy by default. Our aperitivo guide has the where-and-how, and good gelato and a proper espresso are easy wins with no animal-flesh worries.

What to watch for as a vegan

Vegetarian is easy in Bologna. Strict vegan takes a bit more care, because three things hide everywhere in Emilia-Romagna cooking:

• Egg in fresh pasta. Tagliatelle, tortelloni and lasagne sheets are traditionally egg pasta. Dried pasta (penne, spaghetti) is usually just flour and water and is fine.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet, and it goes on almost everything. Ask for it to be left off.
• Lard (strutto) turns up in some crescentine, tigelle and piadina dough. Ask, or stick to the dedicated vegan kitchens where it's a non-issue.

None of this should put you off. Bologna feeds vegetarians better than most Italian cities, and its plant-based scene keeps growing.

More on those: the guided food walks through the markets and the pasta-making classes where you roll your own tortelloni. For cheap meat-free fills, our budget eating guide and the covered food markets both turn up plenty.

← Back to eating and drinking in Bologna